Process and machine for load alleviation

ABSTRACT

A process and machine configured to predict and preempt an undesired load and/or bending moment on a part of a vehicle resulting from an exogenous or a control input. The machine may include a predictor with an algorithm for converting parameters from a state sensed upwind from the part into an estimated normal load on the part and a prediction, for a future time, of a normal load scaled for a weight of the aerospace vehicle. The machine may: produce, using a state upwind from the part on the aerospace vehicle and/or a maneuver input, a predicted state, load and bending moment on the part at a time in the future; derive a command preempting the part from experiencing the predicted load and bending moment; and actuate the command just prior to the part experiencing the predicted state, thereby alleviating the part from experiencing the predicted load and bending moment.

BACKGROUND INFORMATION 1. Field

The present disclosure relates generally to controlling a load on astructure. More particularly, the disclosure relates to controlling aload on an aerospace vehicle.

2. Background

A state of an aerospace vehicle may be influenced by inputs that maylead to an undesired state for the aerospace vehicle. A future state ofthe aerospace vehicle may be influenced by exogenous affects or byinputs to and displacements of control elements of a flight controlsystem for the aerospace vehicle. Inputs to flight control elements ofan aerospace vehicle intend to place the aerospace vehicle in a desiredstate. The future state may be established and/or influenced by inertiaestablished by inputs to the control elements intended for the aerospacevehicle to perform a particular maneuver, as well as by exogenousinfluences on the aerospace vehicle.

SUMMARY

In one illustrative example, a machine is shown configured to provide aninnovative technical solution that alleviates a load on an aerospacevehicle. The machine may include: a sensor; a control element on theaerospace vehicle configured to change the load on a part of theaerospace vehicle; a predictor that may include a program code that mayinclude an algorithm that may include rules configured to convertparameters from a state sensed, upwind from the part on the aerospacevehicle, into an estimated N_(z) load on the part and a prediction, fora future time, of an N_(z) load scaled for a weight of the aerospacevehicle. The state sensed upwind from the part may be a wind gustaffecting the aerospace vehicle. The control element may include one of:an inboard spoiler, an outboard spoiler, and elevator, an aileron, or acombination thereof.

The machine of the illustrative example may also include the predictorconfigured to communicate the prediction of the N_(z) load to a loadalleviation processor that may include an alleviation program code thatmay include an alleviation algorithm that may include rules configuredto, based upon the prediction of the N_(z) load, generate and issue analleviation command to the control element of the aerospace vehicle thatmay alleviate the load on the part. The predictor may also be configuredto: decrease, compared to a load alleviation sub-system that includes atleast one of a notch filter and a non-linear filter, a time required forgenerating and executing an alleviation command; and eliminate asusceptibility to instability from the load alleviation sub-system ofthe aerospace vehicle.

The machine of the illustrative example may also include the predictorconfigured to receive an input for a desired maneuver for the aerospacevehicle and, based upon the input, derive a predicted N_(z) load on apart of aerospace vehicle at a time in the future. The machine may alsoinclude a load alleviation sub-system configured to: based upon theprediction of the N_(z) load, derive a predicted bending moment about alocation on the aerospace vehicle; and derive and execute, before a timein the future, an alleviation command that alleviates the predictedbending moment.

In yet another illustrative example, a process provides an innovativetechnical solution for alleviating a load on a part of an aerospacevehicle. The process of the illustrative example may include:predicting, using a state upwind from the part on the aerospace vehicle,a predicted state of and a predicted load on the part at a time in thefuture; deriving an alleviation command for a control element of theaerospace vehicle for preempting the part from experiencing thepredicted load due to the predicted state; and actuating the alleviationcommand at the control element just prior to the part experiencing thepredicted state, thereby alleviating the part from experiencing thepredicted load. The state upwind from the part on the aerospace vehiclemay include at least one of: an exogenous environmental influenceaffecting the aerospace vehicle, or a parameter sensed by a sensorlocated upwind from the part on the aerospace vehicle. The predictedstate and the predicted load may be based upon a wind gust sensed upwindfrom the part. An estimate of a gust experienced upwind from the partmay be used for predicting a value for an N_(z) load on a wing of theaerospace vehicle when the gust reaches the wing.

The process of the illustrative example also provides an innovativetechnical solution for decreasing, compared to a load alleviation systemcomprising at least one of a notch filter and a non-linear filter, atime period required for generating and executing the alleviationcommand; and eliminating a susceptibility to instability in a loadalleviation sub-system of the aerospace vehicle. Predicting a value foran N_(z) load on a wing of the aerospace vehicle by an N_(z) predictormay include receiving an input that may include a desired maneuver forthe aerospace vehicle.

The process of the illustrative example may also include the N_(z)predictor using the input for determining the predicted load for thepart, and deriving, using the predicted load on the part, a predictedbending moment, at a future time, about a location on the aerospacevehicle. The process of the illustrative example may also includederiving and executing the alleviation command for alleviating thepredicted bending moment.

In yet another illustrative example, a process may provide an innovativetechnical solution for deriving and alleviating a predicted N_(z) loadat a location on a wing of an aerospace vehicle. The process of theillustrative example may include: sensing an input affecting a firstpart of the aerospace vehicle at a time prior to the input affecting thewing; deriving, in an N_(z) predictor using the input, an NZ loadestimate and the predicted N_(z) load at the location at a time in thefuture; preempting the predicted N_(z) load at the location at the timein the future via deriving an alleviation command for a load alleviationsub-system; and sending the alleviation command to a control element ofthe aerospace vehicle. The input may be a wind gust impacting theaerospace vehicle. The input may be a desired maneuver for the aerospacevehicle.

The process of the illustrative example may also include the N_(z)predictor: decreasing, compared to a load alleviation sub-systemcomprising at least one of a notch filter and a non-linear filter, atime required for generating and executing the alleviation command; andeliminating a susceptibility to instability in the load alleviationsub-system of the aerospace vehicle. The process of the illustrativeexample may also include deriving, using the predicted N_(z) load, apredicted bending moment about a root of the wing; and deriving andexecuting, before the time in the future, the alleviation command foralleviating the predicted bending moment.

The features and functions can be achieved independently in variousexamples of the present disclosure or may be combined in yet otherexamples in which further details can be seen with reference to thefollowing description and drawings. One of ordinary skill in the artunderstands that examples given relative to a pitch axis and N_(z) loadsmay be equivalently applied to other axes, and to other vehicles thatexperience a flow of fluid across their structure.

Clause 1: A process comprising predicting, using a state upwind from apart on a vehicle, a predicted state of and a predicted load on the partat a time in the future; deriving an alleviation command for a controlelement of the vehicle for preempting the part from experiencing thepredicted load due to the predicted state; and actuating the alleviationcommand at the control element just prior to the part experiencing thepredicted state, thereby alleviating the part from experiencing thepredicted load.

Clause 2: The process of Clause 1, wherein the vehicle is an aerospacevehicle.

Clause 3: The process of Clause 1 or 2, wherein the state upwindcomprises at least one of: an exogenous environmental influenceaffecting the aerospace vehicle, or a parameter sensed by a sensorlocated upwind from the part on the vehicle.

Clause 4: The process of any of Clauses 1-3, further comprising derivingthe predicted state and the predicted load based upon a wind gust sensedupwind from the part.

Clause 5: The process of any of Clauses 1-4, further comprising using anestimate of a wind gust experienced upwind from the part for predictinga value for an N_(z) load on a wing of the vehicle when the wind gustreaches the wing.

Clause 6: The process of any of Clauses 1-5, further comprisingdecreasing, compared to a load alleviation system comprising at leastone of a notch filter and a non-linear filter, a time period requiredfor generating and executing the alleviation command; and eliminating asusceptibility to instability in a load alleviation sub-system of thevehicle.

Clause 7: The process of any of Clauses 1-6, further comprisingperforming the predicting by an N_(z) predictor receiving an inputcomprising a desired maneuver for the vehicle.

Clause 8: The process of Clause 7, further comprising the N_(z)predictor using the input for determining the predicted load for thepart, and deriving, using the predicted load on the part, a predictedbending moment, at a future time, about a location on the vehicle.

Clause 9: The process of Clause 8, further comprising deriving andexecuting the alleviation command for alleviating the predicted bendingmoment.

Clause 10: A process comprising sensing an input affecting a first partof an aerospace vehicle at a time prior to the input affecting a wing ofthe aerospace vehicle; deriving, in an N_(z) predictor using the input,an N_(z) load estimate and a predicted N_(z) load at a location on thewing at a time in the future; preempting the predicted N_(z) load at thelocation at the time in the future via deriving an alleviation commandfor a load alleviation sub-system; and sending the alleviation commandto a control element of the aerospace vehicle.

Clause 11: The process of Clause 10, further comprising the N_(z)predictor decreasing, compared to a load alleviation sub-systemcomprising at least one of a notch filter and a non-linear filter, atime required for generating and executing the alleviation command; andeliminating a susceptibility to instability in the load alleviationsub-system of the aerospace vehicle.

Clause 12: The process of Clause 10 or 11, further comprising the inputbeing a wind gust impacting the aerospace vehicle.

Clause 13: The process of any of Clauses 10-12, further comprising theinput being a desired maneuver for the aerospace vehicle.

Clause 14: The process of any of Clauses 10-13, further comprisingderiving, using the predicted N_(z) load, a predicted bending momentabout a root of the wing; and deriving and executing, before the time inthe future, the alleviation command for alleviating the predictedbending moment.

Clause 15: A machine configured to alleviate a load on an aerospacevehicle, the machine comprising a sensor; a control element on theaerospace vehicle configured to change the load on a part of theaerospace vehicle; and a predictor that comprises a program code thatcomprises an algorithm that comprises rules configured to convertparameters from a state sensed upwind from the part on the aerospacevehicle into an estimated N_(z) load on the part and a prediction, for atime in the future, of an N_(z) load scaled for a weight of theaerospace vehicle.

Clause 16: The machine of Clause 15, further comprising the predictorconfigured to communicate the prediction of the N_(z) load scaled forthe weight of the aerospace vehicle to a load alleviation processor thatcomprises an alleviation program code that comprises an alleviationalgorithm that comprises rules configured to, based upon the predictionof the N_(z) load scaled for the weight of the aerospace vehicle,generate and issue an alleviation command to the control element of theaerospace vehicle that alleviates the load on the part

Clause 17: The machine of Clause 15 or 16, further comprising the statesensed upwind from the part being a wind gust affecting the aerospacevehicle.

Clause 18: The machine of any of Clauses 15-17, further comprising thecontrol element comprising one of: an inboard spoiler, an outboardspoiler, an elevator, an aileron, or a combination thereof.

Clause 19: The machine of any of Clauses 15-18, further comprising thepredictor configured to decrease, compared to a load alleviationsub-system that comprises at least one of a notch filter and anon-linear filter, a time required for generating and executing analleviation command; and eliminate a susceptibility to instability fromthe load alleviation sub-system of the aerospace vehicle.

Clause 20: The machine of any of Clauses 15-19, further comprising thepredictor configured to receive an input for a desired maneuver for theaerospace vehicle and, based upon the input, derive a predicted N_(z)load on the part of the aerospace vehicle at the time in the future.

Clause 21: The machine of any of Clauses 15-120, further comprising aload alleviation sub-system configured to, based on upon the predictionof the N_(z) load scaled for the weight of the aerospace vehicle, derivea predicted bending moment about a location on the aerospace vehicle;and derive and execute, before the time in the future, an alleviationcommand that alleviates the predicted bending moment.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The illustrative examples, as well as a preferred mode of use, furtherobjectives and features thereof, will best be understood by reference tothe following detailed description of an illustrative example of thepresent disclosure when read in conjunction with the accompanyingdrawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is an illustration of axes of an aerospace vehicle in accordancewith an illustrative example;

FIG. 2 is an illustration of a Ho-Ly-Niemiec (HLN) estimator improvementto a control augmentation system of an aerospace vehicle in accordancewith an illustrative example;

FIG. 3 is an illustration of three lift distributions across a wing,each with a same total lift value in accordance with an illustrativeexample;

FIG. 4 is an illustration of a chart presenting a time line of liftproduced by a wing of an aerospace vehicle in accordance with anillustrative example;

FIG. 5 is an illustration of a Ho-Ly-Niemiec (HLN) N_(z) predictor addedas an adaptor to an existing load alleviation sub-system to generate anaccurate value of predicted normal acceleration to be used by controllaws of a load alleviation sub-system in accordance with an illustrativeexample;

FIG. 6 is an illustration of an architecture for a Ho-Ly-NiemiecEstimator in accordance with an illustrated example;

FIG. 7 is a chart showing a trend for an aerospace vehicle maneuverrelative to a bending moment envelope for a part of an aerospace vehiclein accordance with an illustrative example;

FIG. 8 is an illustration of a Ho-Ly-Niemiec (HLN) N_(z) predictor addedas an adaptor to an existing load alleviation sub-system to generate anaccurate value of predicted normal acceleration to be used by controllaws of a load alleviation sub-system in accordance with an illustrativeexample;

FIG. 9 is an illustration of a flowchart of a process for alleviating aload on a part of an aerospace vehicle in accordance with anillustrative example;

FIG. 10 is an illustration of a flowchart of a process for alleviating aload on a part of an aerospace vehicle in accordance with anillustrative example;

FIG. 11 is an illustration of a block diagram of an aircraftmanufacturing and service method in accordance with an illustrativeexample; and

FIG. 12 is an illustration of a block diagram of an aircraft inaccordance with an illustrative example.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

A wind gust may be a change in a direction or magnitude of a windimpacting an aerospace vehicle. A wind gust may act as an exogenousinfluence that causes a state of an aerospace vehicle to deviate from acommanded intended state for the aerospace vehicle. A wind gust may betime dependent and transient. As used herein, the term exogenousindicates an influence outside of one generated by a control input unitof the aerospace vehicle, whether the control input unit is activatedmanually or through automation.

The state of the aerospace vehicle may be defined relative to any ofseveral conditions. The conditions may include, without limitation, atrajectory of the aerospace vehicle, an energy state of the aerospacevehicle, a stability state of the aerospace vehicle, a responsiveness ofthe aerospace vehicle, a configuration of the aerospace vehicle, aposition of the aerospace vehicle in space, an orientation of theaerospace vehicle relative to a set of axes, a condition of a system onthe aerospace vehicle, or a combination of any of the above.

A wind gust and/or an input for the aerospace vehicle to perform amaneuver may cause a load on a part of an aerospace vehicle, such aswithout limitation a wing, to increase above a desired level. A windgust or an input for the aerospace vehicle to perform a maneuver maycause a load on a part of an aerospace vehicle, such as withoutlimitation the wing, to increase a bending moment of the part above adesired level.

Existing solutions to prevent an undesired load on the part of theaerospace vehicle, and resultant undesired bending moments on the part,rely on feedback control systems that measure a load on the part inoperational conditions. Existing solutions may include withoutlimitation, an accelerometer for measuring a load factor on a wing. Atechnological problem of existing systems is that they require the lifton the wing to have already developed and be measured and processedbefore a control signal is produced to direct a control action toalleviate the wing load.

A technological problem of existing systems is that a control actionbased upon an accelerometer feeding into a positive feedback loop mayresult in instability of the aerospace vehicle. Existing solutions toavoid instability of the aerospace vehicle include heavy filtering ofthe control signal as it is processed to generate a control action.Filtering requirements may add equipment and weight to an aerospacevehicle.

Added equipment and weight on the aerospace vehicle reduce fuelefficiency and other desired performance characteristics for theaerospace vehicle. Added equipment and weight on the aerospace vehiclemay reduce a reliability of the aerospace vehicle. Added equipment andweight on the aerospace vehicle may require structural components of theaerospace vehicle to be stronger to support additional loads on theaerospace vehicle from the added weight. A technological problemtherefore exists whereby structures of an aerospace vehicle must be madeof a thickness and a weight sufficient to handle added loads andresultant bending moments that may result from limitations of existingwing load alleviation systems.

A technological problem of existing systems is that filtering thecontrol signal delays the processing of the control signal andgeneration of a control action to reduce an undesired wing load. Thus, atechnological problem exists where existing solutions to avoidinstability and/or an undesired wing load for the aerospace vehiclesuffer delays in deriving, transmitting, and executing a control action.The time delays may result in an inability to execute a response, or aninstability due to improper timing of the execution of a response thatreduces a load alleviation benefit achieved from existing wind gustand/or maneuver response systems.

A technological problem also exists whereby existing solutions for wingload alleviation are not able to discriminate a threshold for a windgust and/or aerospace vehicle maneuvering that does not require acontrol action to keep the wing load below a desired level. Thus,filtering delays from an existing wind gust and/or aerospace vehiclemaneuvering alleviation system may be applied to a control signal whennot required, and may therefore generate undesired instability and/orunnecessary control actions. Unnecessary control actions may increasedrag on an aerospace vehicle and thereby increase a fuel consumption bythe aerospace vehicle. Hence, what is needed is a technical solution tothe above listed and other issues related to undesired loads upon a partof an aerospace vehicle.

Examples described herein consider and take into account that anaerospace vehicle may contain a flight control system that contains acontrol augmentation system that attempts to enhance a stability and/ormaneuverability and/or expand an operating envelope for the aerospacevehicle by estimating a future state of the aerospace vehicle andaugmenting or de-augmenting commands to the control elements of theaerospace vehicle. The estimate may include an estimate of an exogenousinfluence and its effect on a part of the aerospace vehicle. The moreprecise the estimate of the future state can be, the more precisecontrol augmentation may be to produce a desired state, stability,and/or maneuverability for the aerospace vehicle. The more rapidly theestimate can be made, the more effectively commands may be derived andexecuted to move a control element to produce or maintain a desiredstate of the aerospace vehicle.

Examples described herein consider and take into account that what isneeded to overcome technological limitations of existing loadalleviation systems for an aerospace vehicle is a feedforward controlscheme which is not susceptible to instability. What is needed is a gustindicator which is insensitive to control action. Thus, what is neededis an advanced notification of a wind gust that increases a time windowavailable and/or reduces a time window required to determine and performa control action that preempts the wind gust from causing an undesiredload on the wing of the aerospace vehicle. What is needed is a gust loadalleviation machine and/or process that can discriminate which gustsrequire a control action to provide a required load alleviation andwhich gusts do not require a control action to provide a required loadalleviation.

What is needed is a machine and/or system and/or process that provides agreater effectiveness in gust load alleviation. What is needed is amachine and/or system and/or process that preempts an undesired loadupon a wing. What is needed is a machine and/or system and/or processthat provides a greater effectiveness in gust load alleviation thatpreempts an undesired bending of a wing on an aerospace vehicle, as wellas addressing other load issues for the aerospace vehicle.

Examples described herein may utilize, and improve upon technologiesdescribed in previous U.S. Pat. No. 9,639,089 which fully incorporatesU.S. Pat. No. 8,774,987. Both of those U.S. Patents are issued to TheBoeing Company and the full content thereof is incorporated herein intheir entirety by reference.

A control element on an aerospace vehicle may include an element thatmay control, without limitation, a movement, a trajectory, aconfiguration, an energy state, an orientation, a location in space, orcombinations thereof, for the aerospace vehicle. A control element mayinclude, without limitation, a control surface, an engine, some othersystem on the aerospace vehicle, or combinations thereof.

Command of the control surface of an aerospace vehicle may be executedthrough mechanical connections between a control input unit and thecontrol element. A control element may include any part of the aerospacevehicle that may control a state of the aerospace vehicle. Mechanicallinkages may include mechanical mixers configured to apply control lawsand/or gain and/or control load feel between the control input unit andthe control surface.

The illustrative examples recognize and take into consideration thatexisting solutions to prevent an undesired load on the aerospace vehiclerely on feedback control systems that measure a load on the part inoperational conditions. The illustrative examples are based on a gustand maneuver predictor that eliminates a need for feedback controlsystems that measure a load on the part in operational conditions.

Additionally, command of the control surface for an aerospace vehiclemay be executed through a control augmentation system. A controlaugmentation system may include, without limitation, a digital controlsystem. A digital control system may be, without limitation, afly-by-wire (FBW) system. The control augmentation system may augment orreplace mechanical flight controls of an aerospace vehicle with anelectronic interface. As such, a control input unit may not bephysically connected to the control surface, engine, or other system bycables, linkages, or other mechanical systems. Instead, the commandsfrom a control input unit are converted to electronic signalstransmitted by wires, optical fibers, over an air-interface, or somecombination thereof, to an actuator at the control surface, engine, orother system.

As described in the previously referenced patents: U.S. Pat. No.9,639,089 which fully incorporates U.S. Pat. No. 8,774,987, a loadalleviation sub-system may be a part of a flight control system for anaerospace vehicle. The examples provided herein recognize and take intoconsideration that a load alleviation sub-system may reduce a load on awing measured as normal to a longitudinal axis of a body of theaerospace vehicle.

A flight control computer may generate commands to a control elementthat may include a flight control surface, an engine, or other devicesthat control movement of the aerospace vehicle. A flight controlcomputer in a control augmentation system may incorporate a processorprogrammed with some control laws to regulate stability, damping,responsiveness, or combinations thereof for the aerospace vehicle. Withcontrol augmentation, some commands to the control surface, engine, orother system, are not specifically directed by an input from a pilot tothe control input unit, but are determined by a flight control computerin the control augmentation system. A load alleviation sub-system may bea part of or interface with the flight control computer and/or thecontrol augmentation system.

The different components in a control augmentation system maycommunicate with each other using different types of communicationsarchitectures. A control augmentation system may use a data bus, such asthose used in computer systems. The data bus may reduce the amount ofwiring between components. Depending on the amount of traffic on thedata bus, commands may reach intended components later than desired. Anetwork may be used in addition to or in place of a data bus system toprovide communications between processors, actuator control modules,and/or flight control modules. This situation creates a timing issue inwhich commands sent to a component, such as without limitation anactuator control module, may incur some delay in time before receipt andactuation of the commands.

For example, the delays in inputs for controlling a control surface mayresult in technological problems, including without limitation:undesired and/or unacceptable degraded human-machine handling quality,undesired and/or unacceptable excursions from structural operatinglimitations of the aerospace vehicle, the aerospace vehicle generatinggreater noise than desired, lower passenger comfort, or combinationsthereof.

Still further, currently, performance of control laws for controlaugmentation systems suffer several technological limitations. Controllaw programs rely upon models that do not know precisely what wind gustsmay be impacting a particular part on an aerospace vehicle in flight ata precise moment in time.

For 1 g flight at a constant altitude, total lift for aerospace vehiclewill equal a gross weight of aerospace vehicle. Thus, a command input toa control augmentation system that intends to hold the aerospace vehiclein level-flight experiencing a constant 1 g load as it encounters asignificant wind gust—if left unchanged—could result in unintentionaland undesired change in the state of the aerospace vehicle that couldinclude changes that generate unintended movement and loading that mayresult in an unintended trajectory or undesired loading on a part of theaerospace vehicle.

Governmental airworthiness certification requirements may establishstrength and performance characteristics required for an aerospacevehicle under various operating conditions. As a non-limiting example,U.S. Federal Aviation Administration Regulation Part 25, Section 337addresses airworthiness standards re limit maneuvering load factors andrequires:

-   -   (a) Except where limited by maximum (static) lift coefficients,        the airplane is assumed to be subjected to symmetrical maneuvers        resulting in the limit maneuvering load factors prescribed in        this section. Pitching velocities appropriate to the        corresponding pull-up and steady turn maneuvers must be taken        into account.    -   (b) The positive limit maneuvering load factor n for any speed        up to Vn may not be less than 2.1+24,000/(W+10,000) except that        n may not be less than 2.5 and need not be greater than        3.8—where W is the design maximum takeoff weight.    -   (c) The negative limit maneuvering load factor—    -   (1) May not be less than −1.0 at speeds up to VC; and    -   (2) Must vary linearly with speed from the value at VC to zero        at VD.    -   (d) Maneuvering load factors lower than those specified in this        section may be used if the airplane has design features that        make it impossible to exceed these values in flight.

In a similar non-limiting example, U.S. Federal Aviation AdministrationRegulation Part 25, Section 341 (2)(i) addresses airworthiness standardsre gust and turbulence loads and requires:

-   -   At airplane speeds between V_(B) and V_(C): Positive and        negative gusts with reference gust velocities of 56.0 ft/sec EAS        [equivalent air speed] must be considered at sea level. The        reference gust velocity may be reduced linearly from 56.0 ft/sec        EAS at sea level to 44.0 ft/sec EAS at 15,000 feet. The        reference gust velocity may be further reduced linearly from        44.0 ft/sec EAS at 15,000 feet to 20.86 ft/sec EAS at 70,000        feet, (ii) At the airplane design speed VD: The reference gust        velocity must be 0.5 times the value obtained under §        25.341(a)(5)(i) . . . .    -   (7) (b) Continuous turbulence design criteria. The dynamic        response of the airplane to vertical and lateral continuous        turbulence must be taken into account. The dynamic analysis must        take into account unsteady aerodynamic characteristics and as        significant structural degrees of freedom including rigid body        motions The limit loads must be determined for all critical        altitudes, weights, and weight distributions as specified in §        25.321(b), and all critical speeds within the ranges indicated        in § 25.341(b)(3)

To meet certification load requirements for structures on the aerospacevehicle, such as without limitation a wing, are designed of certainmaterials with certain thicknesses and a resultant weight. A loadalleviation system on the aerospace vehicle may reduce resultant loadsunder certain conditions, such as a wind gust and/or an input for theaerospace vehicle to perform a particular maneuver, and thus reduce astrength, thickness, and/or weight required for support members of thewing, or other structure on the aerospace vehicle.

Further, the examples herein recognize and take into consideration thata current solution to unintentional and undesired aerospace vehicleperformance characteristics that may cause exceedance of structuraland/or other limitations for the aerospace vehicle, may be to add a loadlimiter that constrains the control laws governing the control elementson the aerospace vehicle. Constraints applied by a load limiter mayfilter out or cancel inputs during operations in particular parts of anoperating envelope for the aerospace vehicle. Although constraintsapplied may prevent exceeding structural and/or other limits for theaerospace vehicle, they may also create a further technologicaldifficulty of restricting an operational envelope or a responsivenessavailable to an operator of the aerospace vehicle to less than theoriginal desired operational and structural limits of the aerospacevehicle.

As a non-limiting example, commands to a control element for theaerospace vehicle may be constrained, such that regardless of an inputreceived from a control input unit during flight through a particularflight region, commands to a control element would not exceed commandinga constrained level of change in order to prevent effects of aninstrumentation error and/or aerodynamic effects not fully accounted forin an aerodynamic database or full control laws of the aerospace vehiclefrom causing an exceedance of a structural limit for the aerospacevehicle. Hence, the aerospace vehicle suffers the technological problemof being constrained from utilizing a full structural envelope of theaerospace vehicle in the flight region for which commands have beenconstrained. In other words, as a non-limiting example, instead of beingable to command a maneuver for the aerospace vehicle fully to astructural limit during flight in the particular flight region, thecommand is constrained from reaching the control element and thus theoperating envelope of the aerospace vehicle is reduced from itsoriginally designed structural limits.

Alternately, as described in the cited previous patents, a loadalleviation sub-system will predict an anticipated load on a part, suchas without limitation a wing, and derive and activate control elementcommands to minimize loads that develop on the part. Because wind gustscan be unexpected and/or unpredictable, it is recognized that in someoperating environments, a wind gust can cause a load on a part of theaerospace vehicle 100 to be greater than the load intended by an inputto a control unit for the aerospace vehicle. Hence, the aerospacevehicle is designed with parts that are of a sufficient strength,thickness, weight, and other characteristics sufficient to withstandloads that are greater than loads that may be intended by inputs to acontrol unit for the aerospace vehicle.

Therefore, it would be desirable to nave a machine and/or process thattake into account at least some of the issues discussed above, as wellas other possible issues. For example, it would be desirable to have amachine and/or process that reduce issues that limit an aerospacevehicle's available operating envelope due to unintended, undesirable,and/or inconsistent loads on a part of the aerospace vehicle due to awind gust.

The illustrative examples recognize and take into account one or moredifferent considerations. As a non-limiting example, the illustrativeexamples recognize and take into account that a wind gust can causeunintended and/or undesired motion and/or a load on a part of theaerospace vehicle that requires a change to an existing control elementof the aerospace vehicle in order to achieve an intended and/or desiredloading and/or state and/or trajectory of the aerospace vehicle.

The illustrative examples recognize and take into account that controlelement movements may lag behind from helpful and/or intended positions.As a result, commands to control elements in the aerospace vehicle mayaggravate instead of mitigate an unintended and/or undesirable loadingand/or state and/or trajectory of the aerospace vehicle operatingthrough or in some parts of the operating envelope.

One approach tried to prevent unintended and/or undesirable loadingand/or state and/or trajectory of the aerospace vehicle operatingthrough or in some parts of the operating envelope, has been to applycontrol laws that constrain aircraft responsiveness and effectivelyconstrain access to a full operating envelope for the aerospace vehicle.In other words, the illustrative examples recognize and take intoaccount that some current control laws and control augmentation systemssuffer the technological problem of constraint tightening an operatingenvelope for an aerospace vehicle that limits command authority overflight control systems for an aerospace vehicle and/or can cause otheraerodynamic problems or limitations to performance.

In contrast to current constraints on an operating envelope, examplesillustrated herein can be attached to an aerospace vehicle and providean adaptive estimate, of an exogenous aerodynamic disturbance such aswithout limitation a wind gust, and its effects on a dynamic responseand state of the aerospace vehicle. The illustrative examples recognizeand take into account that even advanced currently existing controlaugmentation systems have not produced technical solutions to predict aload on a part of the aerospace vehicle due to a gust impacting theaerospace vehicle and/or an input for the aerospace vehicle to perform aparticular maneuver. In contrast, a novel predictor component in theillustrative examples provides a precise estimate of a load on a firstpart of an aerospace vehicle caused by a wind gust from the wind gustimpacting a second part of the aerospace vehicle at a time preceding thewind gust impacting the first part.

The illustrative examples also recognize and take into account thatexisting systems attempting to predict a load from a wind gust impactinga second part of the aerospace vehicle at the time preceding the windgust impacting the first part require using notch and non-linear filtersfor deriving a necessary action by a control element of the aerospacevehicle, and moving a control element promptly enough to effectivelyreduce a load on the second part when the wind gust impacts the secondpart. However, using notch and non-linear filters extends the timerequired to derive an alleviation for effects of the wind gust impactingthe second part of the aerospace vehicle and derive an alleviationcommand.

Similar requirements for notch and non-linear filters in existingsystems attempting to predict a load at a time in the future from aninput for the aerospace vehicle to perform a particular maneuver. Hence,currently existing maneuvering alleviation systems suffer the sametechnological problem of the time delay caused by notch and/ornon-linear filtering to derive a load alleviation command.

In contrast, the illustrative examples herein can be added as an adaptorto any existing control system and thus can overcome undesired exogenousaerodynamic disturbances on an aerospace vehicle. In other words, evenif it only becomes apparent that an aerospace vehicle must deal with aparticular recurring undesired state after the aerospace vehicle hasbeen designed and manufactured and is flying in operations, illustrativeexamples herein can be added to mitigate or preclude the undesired statefrom occurring.

Some existing methods or systems for managing undesired loads on anaerospace vehicle create further technological problems. Unintentionaland undesired aerospace vehicle performance characteristics have beenavoided in an unrefined manner by adding constraints onto the controllaws governing commands sent to the control elements on the aerospacevehicle. The constraints added may broadly filter out or cancel inputsin particular parts of an operating envelope for the aerospace vehicle.

Although constraints applied may prevent exceeding structural and/orother limits for the aerospace vehicle, they may also create a furthertechnological difficulty of restricting an operational envelopeavailable to an operator of the aerospace vehicle to less than theoriginal structural limits of the aerospace vehicle.

The illustrative examples herein, recognize and take into account that aset of axes used to describe an orientation of an aerospace vehicle maybe selected from, without limitation, a body axes, a stability axes, ora wind axes as shown by FIG. 1. FIG. 1 is an illustration of axes of anaerospace vehicle depicted in accordance with an illustrative example.Specifically, motion of and forces on aerospace vehicle 100 may berepresented by body axes 102, stability axes 104, and/or wind axes 106.Body axes 102 may be fixed relative to structure 108 of aerospacevehicle 100 and comprise longitudinal (or roll) axis X_(B) 110, lateral(or pitch) axis Y_(B) 112, and directional (or yaw) axis Z_(B) 114orthogonal to both X_(B) 110 and Y_(B) 112. The stability axes may befixed such that stability axis Z_(S) 116 aligns with a vector of theEarth's force of gravity. Stability axis Ys 112 aligns with pitch axisY_(B) 112, and stability axis X_(S) 120 is orthogonal to both Y_(S) 118and Z_(S) 116 and aligned with roll axis X_(B) 110 in an X_(B)-Z_(B)plane of body axes. Wind axes may be fixed by a trajectory through spaceof the aerospace vehicle 100, such that wind axis X_(W) 122 aligns witha trajectory of the aerospace vehicle 100 in an X_(S)-Y_(S) plane ofstability axes 104, wind axis Z_(W) 124 aligns with stability axis Z_(S)116, and wind axis Y_(W) 118 is orthogonal to both axes X_(S) 120 andZ_(S) 116. Without limitation, aerospace vehicle 100 may be an aircraft.Without limitation, aerospace vehicle 100 may be a transport aircraft.

Aerospace vehicle 100 may have a pitch control element. The pitchcontrol element may control movement of aerospace vehicle 100 at leastabout pitch axis Y_(B) 112. Without limitation, the pitch controlelement may be horizontal stabilizer 128 or a set of stabilators.Without limitation, stabilators may be mounted on an empennage or tail126 of aerospace vehicle 100. Each stabilator in the set of stabilatorsand or horizontal stabilizer 128 may also include at least one elevator130 to aid in control of lift forces on horizontal stabilizer 128 and ofpitch for aerospace vehicle 100.

Aerospace vehicle 100 may also have a lift control element. The liftcontrol element may include without limitation: inboard spoilers 132,outboard spoilers 134, ailerons 136, and/or flaperons 138, orcombinations thereof on wings 140. The lift control element may alsoinclude without limitation, canards 142 devices similar to inboardspoilers 132, outboard spoilers 134, ailerons 136, and/or flaperons 138,or combinations thereof mounted on canards 142. In other words, whilethe illustrative examples described herein may apply to an aerospacevehicle 100 with any of the control elements listed above, such aswithout limitation, canards 142, none of the particular elements isrequired with the illustrative examples herein.

Aerospace vehicle 100 may also have sensors mounted at locations onaerospace vehicle 100 for sensing an angle of attack, α, and/or loadsexperienced on aerospace vehicle 100. Forward sensor 144 may be withoutlimitation an angle of attack vane or a light detection and ranging(LIDAR) system such as described at least in U.S. Pat. No. 9,639,089which fully incorporates U.S. Pat. No. 8,774,987.

Wing sensor 146 may be a sensor located downwind from forward sensor144. In other words, an airflow impacts forward sensor 144 at a point intime previous to the airflow impacting wing sensor 146. Withoutlimitation wing sensor 146 may be an inertial sensor used to measure aload on, angle of attack of, and/or other parameters for a wing of wings140.

Forward sensor 144 and wing sensor 146 in FIG. 1 illustrate relative andnot exact locations of the sensors. Further, although one sensor isshown for forward sensor 144 and only one wing sensor 146 is shown oneach of the wings 140, additional sensors may be present in otherlocations and be in communication with and/or considered as being a partof forward sensor 144. Similarly, additional sensors may be present inother locations and be in communication with and/or considered as beinga part of either wing sensor 146.

Still further, other parts of aerospace vehicle 100 may have a sensor orsensors located downwind of forward sensor 144 like wing sensor 146configured to measure a load and/or angle of attack, and/or otherparameters at other locations of aerospace vehicle 100. The otherlocations may include without limitation, at canards 142, horizontalstabilizer 128, on a vertical stabilizer and/or rudder, on an enginepylon, at points along a fuselage of aerospace vehicle 100, or at otherlocations on aerospace vehicle 100.

Similarly, items 128-146 in FIG. 1, do not intend to show preciselocations, groupings, numbers, or size of those items as they may befeatured on an aerospace vehicle, such as without limitation aerospacevehicle 100 illustrated in FIG. 1. Items 128-146 are illustrative toshow relative relationships and general locations for relationaldescriptions relative to novel examples of technological improvements asdescribed below.

A pitch command input that holds the aerospace vehicle in level flightexperiencing a constant 1“g” load—if left unchanged when a wind gustimpacts the aerospace vehicle—could result in an unintentional andundesired change in the state of the aerospace vehicle that couldinclude changes to a pitching moment of the aerospace vehicle that maygenerate an increased “g” loading on the wing, as well as increased liftbeing produced by the wing and thus an increase in a bending momentexperienced by the wing. The “g” unit represents a force equal to theEarth's force of gravity applied along axis Z_(B) 114 perpendicular tolongitudinal axis X_(B) 110 through the body of aerospace vehicle 100,and is called positive when acting in a direction, which would push apilot in aerospace vehicle 100 down into his seat, and called negativewhen acting in a direction, which would pull a pilot up out of his seat.Acceleration along directional (or yaw) axis Z_(B) 114 is also referredto as a “normal load”, N_(z), for aerospace vehicle 100.

Looking now to FIG. 2, an illustration of a Ho-Ly-Niemiec (HLN)estimator improvement to a control augmentation system of an aerospacevehicle is depicted in accordance with an illustrative example. Morespecifically, as depicted in FIG. 2, control augmentation system (CAS)202, for flight control system (FCS) 204 may receive an input 206intended activate control element 208 to generate and/or sustain desiredstate 210 for an aerospace vehicle, such as without limitation aerospacevehicle 100 shown in FIG. 1. Input 206 may be from a manned input deviceunit, or from an automated input signal system. Automated input signalsystem may be, without limitation, an autopilot system. Withoutlimitation, autopilot systems may output as input 206 based uponfeedback from control augmentation system 202. Thus, input 206 mayrepresent a command for aerospace vehicle 100 to perform a maneuver.

Sensor 212 on the aerospace vehicle may sense parameters that define thestate of aerospace vehicle 100 and provide the parameters to CAS 202, aswell as into HLN-NZ predictor 220, and although not depicted in FIG. 2,to other systems on aerospace vehicle 100 as well. Sensor 212 is shownas a single item, but one of ordinary skill in the art recognizes thatsensor 212 may represent a number of sensors that may be located atdifferent locations. Sensors among the number of sensors may beindependent of each other or in communication with each other. Sensor212 may represent, without limitation, an angle of attack vane or ameasurement system located on aerospace vehicle 100. Sensor 212 may alsosense and share parameters for conditions upwind from sensor 212. Inother words, without limitation, sensor 212 may be a light detection andranging (LIDAR) system located on aerospace vehicle 100.

As FIG. 2 indicates, sensor 212 may also represent without limitation, ameasurement system located outside of aerospace vehicle 100. As such,without limitation sensor 212 may represent an inertial unit onaerospace vehicle 100 and/or a tracking system off aerospace vehicle100, such as without limitation a ground, seaborne, airborne, orspace-based, radar or other tracking system.

Without limitation, a state of aerospace vehicle 100 may be described asa vector with many parameters, among which are included, withoutlimitation: V, velocity; α, angle of attack; Φ, roll angle; θ, pitchangle; q, pitch rate; p, roll rate; r, yaw rate; N_(z), acceleration onaxis Z_(B) 114 shown in FIG. 1; N_(y), acceleration on axis Y_(B) 112shown in FIG. 1; N_(x), acceleration on axis X_(B) 110 shown in FIG. 1;β, sideslip angle; and h, altitude, for the aerospace vehicle as well asother parameters derived from those listed a above, and/or discussed inU.S. Pat. No. 9,639,089 which fully incorporates U.S. Pat. No.8,774,987, and are both fully incorporate herein.

Detrimental influence 214 may approach aerospace vehicle 100. FIG. 2graphically represents that without Ho-Ly-Niemiec (HLN) N_(z) predictor216, detrimental influence 214 will be able to progress to affectdesired state 210 to become altered into undesired state 218. Withoutlimitation, detrimental influence 214 may represent a state upwind fromaerospace vehicle 100. Detrimental influence 214 may come from outsideaerospace vehicle 100. Detrimental influence 214 may be an exogenousenvironmental influence, such as without limitation from wind gust 228.Detrimental influence 214 may come from on/within aerospace vehicle 100,such as without limitation from undesired effects of input 206 and/or ofundesired effects of processing by CAS 202.

As described in more detail below, HLN N_(z) predictor 216 recognizesapproaching detrimental influence 214, and alleviates the detrimentalinfluence's effect upon aerospace vehicle 100 by deriving HLN-N_(z) 220to send to load alleviation sub-system (LA) 222. LA 222 of thisapplication may be, without limitation, equivalent to load alleviationsub-system 204 described in U.S. Pat. No. 9,639,089 which fullyincorporates U.S. Pat. No. 8,774,987, and are both fully incorporatedherein.

HLN-N_(z) 220 represents a technological improvement that creates anovel and precise predicted value for a normal load (a load acting alongZ_(B) axis 114 of FIG. 1) experienced by a part of aerospace vehicle100. Without limitation, the part of aerospace vehicle 100 thatHLN-N_(z) 220 may be a prediction for, may be any part for which anN_(z) value may be directly (or indirectly through derivation fromsensed data) sensed. In other words, HLN N_(z) predictor 216 predicts afuture load HLN-N_(z) 220 on a part of aerospace vehicle 100 based upona predicted future state, such as without limitation undesired state 218of aerospace vehicle 100.

LA 222 uses HLN-N_(z) 220 to modify CAS 202 commands to control element208 that preempt detrimental influence 214 effects upon aerospacevehicle 100 and thereby maintain aerospace vehicle 100 in desired state210. Desired state 210 may represent a continuation of a state ofaerospace vehicle 100 that existed prior to detrimental influence 214impacting aerospace vehicle 100, and/or a new state for aerospacevehicle 100 that is desired as detrimental influence 214 begins toimpact aerospace vehicle 100.

Additionally, HLN N_(z) predictor 216 provides a technologicalimprovement whereby a precision of HLN-N_(z) 220 may be so accurate thatLA 222 may eliminate a need for and/or use of notch filter 224 and/ornon-linear filter 226 as commonly exist in current load alleviationsystems. Elimination of a need/use of notch filter 224 and non-linearfilter 226 by LA 222 reduces processing time and allows alleviationscommands to be generated and sent more often and therefore more refinedand precisely to control element 208 than current load alleviationsystems capabilities.

More rapid and refined commands based upon more precise HLN-N_(z) 220load information produces the technical benefit of generation ofalleviation command 504 more rapidly. Hence, over a given period of timefor wind gust 228 to travel to a particular point downwind from itsinitial impact on aerospace vehicle 100, the reduced time required forLA 222 to generate an alleviation command results in a greater number ofalleviation commands that can be generated and executed by controlelement 208 during the given period of time for wind gust 228 to travelto a particular point downwind from its initial impact on aerospacevehicle 100. Therefore, each alleviation command generated by LA 222 maybe more refined and precise, and particularly so when receivingHLN-N_(z) 220 that is more precise than sensed or processed N_(z) valueavailable in currently existing load alleviation systems.

As a result of more refined and precise alleviation commands, LA 222 maymanage loads and resulting bending moments on parts of aerospace vehicle100 that allow an increase in: stability, maneuverability, and/oroperating envelope for aerospace vehicle 100. As a result of morerefined and precise alleviation commands, LA 222 may manage loads andresulting bending moments on parts of aerospace vehicle 100 that allowan increase in reliability, durability, and/or a life-span, of parts onaerospace vehicle 100. As a result, a required strength, rigidity,and/or thickness and weight of components of a part in aerospace vehicle100 may also be reduced.

As will be described in further detail below, a source of detrimentalinfluence 214 may be wind gust 228, an output from CAS 202, or someother exogenous disturbance. As will be described in further detailbelow, an output from CAS 202 if continued over time may lead todetrimental influence 214 and generate undesired state 218. As anon-limiting example, an input that starts a pitch up by increasing a“g” loading on a wing of aerospace vehicle 100 could result in the “g”load increasing to and past the “g” limit of aerospace vehicle 100 ifthe increase in “g” loading is not alleviated before the limit isreached.

One of ordinary skill in the art will recognize that lift provided by apart is comprised of lift forces that may vary at different points alongthe part. As a non-limiting example, FIG. 3 is an illustration of threelift distributions across a wing, each with a same total lift value inaccordance with an illustrative example. Wing 302 may be one of wings140 shown in FIG. 1. Wing 302 may have a wing root 304. Wing root 304represents a location where wing 302 is connected to a support structureof aerospace vehicle 100. The vertical axis of chart 300 shows relativevalues for normal load, N_(z), component of lift at particular locationsalong wing 302. The horizontal axis represents relative distances fromwing root 304 to the N_(z) values along a span of wing 302. Wing root304 represents a location where wing 304 joins a frame of aerospacevehicle 100.

A normal load component of lift produced by wings 140 of aerospacevehicle 100 may differ at various chord segments along a span of thewing. Hence, for any given value for a total lift produced by wing 302,a bending moment experienced at wing root 304 may vary depending onvalues of lift at various chord segments along the span.

More specifically, as a non-limiting example, plot 306 represents anon-limiting distribution of lift (represented by the area under plot306 N_(z) values) across the span of wing 302 wherein nearly all thelift of wing 302 is produced at a distance “x” near wing root 304. Plot308 shows nearly all the lift produced over outboard spoiler 134 at adistance 8× from wing root 304. Plot 310 shows nearly all the liftproduced over inboard spoiler 132 at a distance 4× from wing root 306.Thus, although wing 302 may provide aerospace vehicle 100 a same amountof total lift for each of these plots, a bending moment about wing root306 differs in each of these cases. The bending moment on wing root 304for plot 308 will be 8 times, and for plot 310 4 times, the bendingmoment for plot 306.

Thus, as a non-limiting example, if a sensor 212 that could measureN_(z) was located respectively at each distance x, 4×, and 8× from wingroot 304 along wing 302 as shown in FIG. 3, then HLN N_(z) predictor 216can determine an HLN N_(z) 220 value respectively at each of those threelocations. Using the HLN N_(z) 220 value respectively at each of thosethree locations, then a bending moment about each of those distancescould be predicted for wing root 304. LA 222 may be configured with amechanical device and/or specially programmed code that includes analgorithm that may include rules for managing the lift distributionacross wing 302. LA 222 may provide alleviation that shifts liftproduction across the span of wing 302. Shifting lift production acrossthe span of wing 302 may provide desired handling characteristics foraerospace vehicle 100, and/or manage and/or minimize an N_(z) load at aparticular location and/or a total bending moment applied to wing root304.

Thus, HLN N_(z) predictor 216 thereby allows for a precise prediction ofnot only how much additional load may be produced and how much loadalleviation to sustain a desired total lift load on wing 302, but canchoose locations and values for load alleviation that provide desiredhandling characteristics for aerospace vehicle 100 and also manageand/or minimize a total bending moment applied to wing root 304.

To further illustrate the concept, a non-limiting example is presentedfor a condition when wing 302 is producing a total lift of 100,000pounds, with 30,000 pounds produced at distance x, 40,000 pounds atdistance 4×, and 30,000 pounds produced at distance 8×, along wing 302.If wind gust 228 and/or input 206 result in HLN N_(z) 220 predictionsthat without any load alleviation: lift at distance x on wing 302 willincrease to 50,000 pounds, lift at distance 4× on wing 302 will increaseto 50,000 pounds, and lift at distance 8× on wing 302 will increase40,000 pounds, then total wing lift could remain at 100,000 pounds evenif load alleviations reduce lift produced at distance 8× on wing 302 allthe way down to zero. This load alleviation based upon a precise HLNN_(z) 220 values for each of the locations along the wing span couldsignificantly reduce a bending moment produced at wing root 304. In theexample given, although total lift remains at 100,000 pounds, thebending moment about wing root 304 drops from 430,000× foot-pounds to250,000× foot-pounds. As a non-limiting example, reducing lift atdistance 8× might be achieved by a command from LA 222 to outboardspoiler 134 located at the 8× distance along wing 302.

In an alternative non-limiting example, an alternative span wise liftdistribution may be achieved for the same wind gust 228 and/or input206. An alternative load alleviation may instead reduce lift at the 4×distance to 40,000 pounds and at the 8× distance to 10,000 pounds. Thus,while total lift remains at 100,000 pounds, the bending moment aboutwing root 304 drops from 430,000× foot-pounds to 290,000× foot-pounds,presuming the distance x is measured in feet. As a non-limiting example,reducing lift at distance 8× might be achieved by a command from LA 222to outboard spoiler 134 located at the 8× distance along wing 302 andreducing lift at distance 4× might be achieved by a command from LA 222to inboard spoiler 132 located at the 4× distance along wing 302.

One of ordinary skill in the art recognizes that by using precise HLNN_(z) 220 predicted values at various locations on wing 302, that spanwise load distributions may be managed by LA 222 directing specificcombinations of control element 208 for aerospace vehicle 100. Asdescribed above, control element 208 may include any number of liftgenerating and lift spoiling devices as may be on wing 302 of aerospacevehicle 100.

As a non-limiting example, loads at distances greater than 8× may bealtered by an outboard aileron of ailerons 136 shown in FIG. 1, or bysome other control element not shown in FIG. 1 such as withoutlimitation a trim tab, air flow control system, variable geometry flightcontrol surface, and/or combinations thereof. In other words, LA 222 maydirect a particular control element 208 not only to alleviate or reducean amount of lift being produced, but when advantageous to achieve adesired wing load or bending moment value, to supplement or increaselift as well. As a non-limiting example, movement of an aileron or aflaperon on wing 302 may increase or decrease lift thereon.

Thus, HLN N_(z) predictor 216 provides the technical benefit of precisealleviation and management of loads across a span of wing 302 and ofbending moments at wing root 304. More broadly, one of ordinary skill inthe art recognizes that the derivation of precise HLN N_(z) 220predicted values may be applied for alleviation of a load and/or bendingmoments not only about wing root 304 nor just on wing 302, but for anypart and about any select axis on aerospace vehicle 100 for which HLNN_(z) predictor 216 may provide an HLN N_(z) 220 predicted value. Inother words, one of ordinary skill in the art recognizes that HLN N_(z)predictor 216 providing for precise management of loads at specificlocations along a part 508 of aerospace vehicle 100 also provides thetechnical benefit of precise management of bending moments about pointsother than just wing root 304.

Looking now to FIG. 4, FIG. 4 is an illustration of a chart presenting atime line of lift produced by a wing of an aerospace vehicle inaccordance with an illustrative example. Specifically, chart 400illustrates relative values of a component (along axis Z_(B) 114 ofaerospace vehicle 100 as shown in FIG. 1) of a force acting on a part ofaerospace vehicle 100, also known as the N_(z) value on the part. Hence,the vertical axis may represent, without limitation, an N_(z) value of alift produced at a particular chord line of wing 302 of wings 140. Thehorizontal axis of chart 400 represents a passage of time from left toright.

On chart 400, event 402 represents a time at which a wind gust, such aswind gust 228 introduced in FIG. 2, affects forward sensor 144. Event404 represents a later point in time (a time in the future from the timeof events 402 and 410-418) when the same wind gust impacts theparticular chord line on wing 302 at which the N_(z) values plottedoccur, which is downwind from forward sensor 144 on aerospace vehicle100. Thus, plot 406 represents values for a z-axis component of a load,(without limitation, lift at the particular chord line on wing 302) overtime without reduction by any load alleviation command from LA 222 onaerospace vehicle 100.

N_(z) values on the vertical axis represent units of acceleration, andcan be depicted relative to the acceleration of the Earth's gravity, 1g. Plot 406 represents N_(z) values aerospace vehicle 100 under flightcontrol commands to maintain 1 g flight at a constant altitude. For 1 gflight at a constant altitude, total lift for aerospace vehicle 100 willequal a gross weight of aerospace vehicle 100. Wings 140 produce most ofthe lift for aerospace vehicle 100. The 1 g mark on chart 400 mayrepresent a force value for N_(z) that keeps aerospace vehicle 100 1 gflight.

As an example of the effect of a wind gust on aerospace vehicle 100without a load alleviation system active, plot 406 shows that N_(z)value may be increased by event 404 for the duration of the gust, whichmay be considered as the time from 404 to 420. In the non-limitingexample shown by chart 400, due to the wind gust impacting the wing atevent 404, the N_(z) wing load increases from 1 g to 2.5 g's without aload alleviation response to counteract the wind gust effects.

As a non-limiting example, chart 400 shows the effect of the wind gustbeing an increase in a load at the particular chord line of wing 302.One of ordinary skill in the art recognizes that an increase of the loadat the particular chord line will also increase a bending moment aboutwing root 304 from the location of the particular chord line. Althoughnot shown on chart 400, a wind gust may also cause the wing load todeviate from a desired level, such as without limitation 1 g, with anopposite effect that reduces the wing load and N_(z) value below a valueindicated as 1 g on chart 400.

For the same wing 302 with a currently existing load alleviation systemactive, plot 408 represents the values for an N_(z) component of lift ona wing of wings 140 over time. Plot 408 differs from plot 406 because ofevents 410-418. Similar to descriptions provided U.S. Pat. No. 9,649,089which fully incorporates U.S. Pat. No. 8,774,987, at event 410, forwardsensor 144 sends a signal generated by wind gust 224 affecting forwardsensor 144 to a gust signal sub-system for aerospace vehicle 100. Thealleviation command may include an activation time, a control element208 to activate, and a magnitude of activation intended to adjust a loadon wing 302 to remain at a desired level, such as without limitation the1“g” level shown in FIG. 4. The lift control element on aerospacevehicle 100 selected by the alleviation command may include anycomponent that will change a lift force and thus N_(z) produced by wings140.

At event 416, the gust alleviation sub-system sends the alleviationcommand to the lift control element selected. Event 418 marks the timethat a lift control element is actually activated to alleviate a changein the wing load as the wind gust impacts the wing at event 404. Inother words, event 418 occurs just prior to event 404. As a non-limitingexample, chart 400 shows plot 408 deviating less from the desired 1 glevel in response to the same wind gust than plot 406. Plot 408 mayindicate loading achieved by a current load alleviation system, such aswithout limitation, load alleviation sub-system 204 described in U.S.Pat. No. 9,639,089 which fully incorporates U.S. Pat. No. 8,774,987, andare both fully incorporated herein. Plot 422 shows the novel technicalbenefit of examples described herein for a new machine Ho-Ly-Niemiec(HLN) NZ Predictor 216, as introduced in FIG. 2, and/or process thatprovides, as will be described in more detail below, a more preciseestimate of wind gust 224 that will impact wing 302, and thus a preciseprediction for NZ at the particular chord line, and thus a more preciseand effective alleviation command to control element 208 for aerospacevehicle 100. As will be described in greater detail for subsequentfigures, after processing the signal, at event 412 HLN N_(z) Predictor216 estimates parameters of the wind gust and creates a wind gustestimate and an HLN-N_(z) value described more fully below. Becauseevent 414 uses the wind gust estimate and HLN-N_(z) 220 value, the gustsignal sub-system determines an alleviation command to send to a loadalleviation sub-system of the flight control system for aerospacevehicle 100. A deviation from a desired wing load, such as shown as 1 gin chart 400 for plot 422 is about one-half the deviation shown by plot408. Thus, novel HLN N_(z) Predictor 216 provides the technologicalimprovement whereby a deviation from a desired wing load, such as shownas 1 g in chart 400, may be reduced by up to 50% as compared tocurrently existing wing load alleviation systems.

Thus, one of ordinary skill in the art understands, that even when atotal wing load or total lift on a wing does not approach a limit suchas shown by plot 406 in FIG. 4, that control of location and magnitudeof loads from lift along a wingspan may control a value of a bendingmoment experienced at wing root 304. Reducing the bending momentexperienced at the wing root during a flight may allow for reduction ofa strength required by wing root 304. Reduction of a strength requiredby wing root 394 may reduce a thickness, a strength, and/or a weight ofcomponents of wing root 304 and/or members connected thereto.

The illustration and discussion of FIG. 4 for N_(z) load values atparticular chord locations along a span of wing 302 more generally maybe applied and visualized as a lift force of wing 302 overall. Controlof lift and bending moments generated along the span of wing 302 mayalso be applied to input 206 effects on loads at a time in the futurefor a desired maneuver. Technical benefits from a more accurateprediction of a future NZ value at a particular location on aerospacevehicle 100 will be expanded upon further below.

Looking now at FIG. 5, FIG. 5 is an illustration of a Ho-Ly-Niemiec(HLN) NZ Predictor added as an adaptor to an existing load alleviationsub-system to generate an accurate value of predicted normalacceleration to be used by control laws of a load alleviation sub-systemin accordance with an illustrative example. Specifically, FIG. 5 shows apredicted value for normal acceleration (introduced in FIG. 2 asHLN-N_(z) 220) at a future time provided to gust control laws (GCLAW)502 of load alleviation sub-system (LA) 222 of flight control system 204of aerospace vehicle 100 such that alleviation command 504 sent tocontrol element 208 more effectively than currently existing loadalleviation systems maintains a desired load N_(z) 506 on part 508 ofaerospace vehicle 100. Alleviation command 504 and control element 208are shown in FIG. 5 as single items, but one of ordinary skill in theart understands that they may represent a number of alleviation commandsand/or a number of elements. In the case of a wind gust impactingaerospace vehicle 100, the future time may be set at a time that thewind gust impacts part 508 of aerospace vehicle 100.

As used herein, “a number of” when used with reference to items meansone or more items. Thus, a number of components is one or morecomponents. In other words, “a number of” elements may be withoutlimitation, any of 1, 2, 3, or more elements.

Control element 208 may represent any control on aerospace vehicle 100that may affect N_(z) 506 on part 508. Thus, in addition to a number ofvaried control surfaces on a number of parts of aerospace vehicle 100,without limitation an engine may be a control element, as well as flowsuction or supplementation systems for surfaces on aerospace vehicle100, as well as flexible shaping of part 508 of aerospace vehicle 100.Without limitation, control element 208 may be a surface that may affectlift on wing 302 of aerospace vehicle 100.

HLN N_(z) Predictor 216 produces the technical benefit of providingHLN-N_(z) 220, which results in LA 222 more effectively maintaining thancurrently existing load alleviation systems a desired load N_(z) 506 onpart 508, at least because HLN-N_(z) 220, is more accurate thancurrently available predictions for a value for an N_(z) that wouldoccur at a specific time in the future on part 508 due to detrimentalinfluence 214. Without limitation, part 508 may be a wing of wings 140,and detrimental influence 214 may be a wind gust, such as withoutlimitation wind gust 228 shown in FIG. 2.

FIG. 5, shows that HLN-N_(z) 220 produced in HLN N_(z) Predictor 216 isfed into LA 222 for use by gust control laws GCLAW 502. GCLAW 502 may bea processor specially programmed with rules in an algorithm configuredto produce alleviation command 504. N_(z)-sensed 510 represents ameasurement of N_(z) 506 on part 508 by sensor 212. N_(z) 506 representsan N_(z) component of a load on a part of aerospace vehicle 100. Hence,without limitation, N_(z) 506 may be a component of lift along Z_(B)axis 114 on wing 302 of aerospace vehicle 100 100.

Sensor 212 may be located on part 508. Sensor 212 may measure N_(z) 506of a load on part 508, and may be one of sensor 212 as shown in FIG. 2,such as without limitation wing sensor 146 as shown in FIG. 1. Withoutlimitation, part 508 may be one of wings 140 shown in FIG. 1.

Sensor 212 is shown partly in and partly out of FCS 204 and aerospacevehicle 100 to indicate that sensor 212 may be within or outside of andin communication with FCS 204 and aerospace vehicle 100. Hence, withoutlimitation sensor 212 may be on aerospace vehicle 100, on ground, in theair, on another vehicle, in space, or a combination thereof. Asnon-limiting examples, sensor may be a satellite-based tracking systemin communication with aerospace vehicle 100, and/or an inertialreferenced set of sensors located along a wingspan of aerospace vehicle100.

Vertical gust estimate 512 is produced and provided as input to HLNN_(z) Predictor 216 from a load alleviation sub-system 204 such asdescribed in U.S. Pat. No. 9,639,089 which fully incorporates U.S. Pat.No. 8,774,987, represented in FIG. 5 of this application as LA 222introduced in FIG. 2. Vertical gust estimate 512 may comprise a verticalcomponent aligned with Z_(B) axis 114 as shown in FIG. 1 of a gustsensed by aerospace vehicle 100.

In addition to vertical gust estimate 512, N_(z) Predictor 216 receivesN_(z)-sensed 510 from sensor 212. N_(z) Predictor 216 also receivesother sensed data for aerospace vehicle 100 from sensor 212.

Turning now to FIG. 6, FIG. 6 is an illustration of an architecture fora Ho-Ly-Niemiec (HLN)-N_(z) predictor in accordance with an illustratedexample. More specifically, an architecture for Ho-Ly-Niemiec(HLN)-N_(z) predictor 216 shown in FIGS. 2 and 5 is presented in greaterdetail.

In FIG. 6, NZ-sensed 510 enters into closed-loop/open-loop switchingwithin HLN estimator 602 within HLN-N_(z) predictor 216.Closed-loop/open-loop switching within HLN estimator 602 allows mixingNZ-sensed 510 with HLN estimator 602 derived N_(z)-est 604 processedthrough various gains in a closed-loop configuration.

Gain tables 608 reflect characteristics of aerospace vehicle 100 basedupon inputs from sensor 212 that may include without limitation, aspeed, an altitude, and a center of gravity for aerospace vehicle 100.Characteristics of aerospace vehicle 100 that may be reflected in gaintables 608 may include significant structural degrees of freedomincluding rigid body motions.

HLN estimator 602 may be a processor that includes an algorithm thatincludes rules that output N_(z)-est 604 based upon a performance and/orcharacteristics desired for aerospace vehicle 100. The algorithm mayinclude a mathematical model. In the illustrative example of HLNestimator 602 in FIG. 6, gain tables 608 automatically adjust values ofthe gains: K1, K2, K3, K4, K5, K6 and K7 based upon rules that produceoptimal values for the gains and HLN-N_(z) 220 responsive to datareceived by HLN estimator 602 from sensor 212. Each gain, K1-K7,respectively may implement a scalar mathematical operation(output=input*K) that, in combination with the summing junctions andintegrator blocks, implements an algorithm for the derivation of outputsN_(z)-sensed 510 and N_(z)-est 604.

In the illustrative example of FIG. 6, the gain K1 may adjust N_(z)-est604 by applying an instant response to any change in vertical gustestimate 512 received by HLN estimator 602. Instant response to inputsprovides technical benefits in the context of load alleviation where arapid and/or refined response is desirable. Instant response providesfor generation of refined and more accurate values of predictedHLN-N_(z) 220. Refined and more accurate values of predicted HLN-N_(z)220 provides for a more stable and effective alleviation command 504.

Gains K2, K3, K5, and K7, as well as connected summing blocks andintegrators are configured to implement, and in operation may implement,an algorithm that relates a change in N_(z)-est 604 to changes in inputsto HLN estimator 602. In closed-loop architecture, HLN estimator 602 mayproduce a value for N_(z)-est 604 from N_(z)-sensed 510 that is scaledbased upon inputs: of vertical gust estimate 512 derived by loadalleviation sub-system 222, a scale factor, and N_(z)-est 604 feedback,which is also generated within HLN estimator 602. A scale factoraccounts for, at the time of the computation, a weight of aerospacevehicle 100 filtered based upon gain adjustments based upon lookups fromgain tables 608. In other words, a scale factor applied in HLN estimator602 accounts for a ratio of the current weight of aerospace vehicle 100to a reference weight used by HLN estimator 602 to determine filtercoefficients applied to deriving N_(z)-est 604. When HLN estimator 602is switched to operate in closed-loop mode, gains K4 and K6 causeN_(z)-est 604 to gradually converge toward the value of N_(z)-sensed510.

Hence, N_(z)-est 604 provides a novel linear filter model depicting arate of change of acceleration along axis Z_(B) 114 for aerospacevehicle 100 due to effects from wind gust 228 and/or (as explainedfurther in FIG. 8 below) inputs from CAS 202 responsive to input 206 (asshown in FIG. 2) for a desired maneuver for aerospace vehicle 100.N_(z)-est 604 is also input into complementary filter 606.

When HLN estimator 602 is switched to operate in open-loop mode,N_(z)-sensed 510 and gains K4 and K6 have no effect on N_(z)-est 604.The selection of open-loop or closed-loop mode is at the discretion of adesign engineer depending on design objectives for aerospace vehicle100.

Alternatively, HLN estimator 602 may switch between the open-loop orclosed-loop modes during operation. For example, when changes tovertical gust estimate 512 are large and rapid, N_(z)-sensed signal 510may not provide accurate and/or timely data. Temporarily switching toopen-loop mode prevents the not-yet-accurate and/or timely signal orN_(z)-sensed 510 from slowing output of N_(z)-est 604 that would becaused by delays in processing through gains K4 and K6. Once enough timehas passed to expect a usable input from N_(z)-sensed 510, then HLNestimator 602 may return to closed-loop mode from open-loop modeoperation.

Thus, an algorithm in HLN estimator 602 provides for switching betweenopen-loop processing to obtain a rapid initial response, and switchingto closed-loop processing to refine and improve the accuracy ofN_(z)-est 604, and thus HLN-N_(z) 220 as vertical gust estimate 512approaches a steady state.

N_(z)-est 604 and N_(z)-sensed 510 are received into complementaryfilter 606. Complementary filter 606 may be a processor speciallyprogrammed to apply, and in operation apply, a novel algorithm thatprovides specially programmed rules for an iterative gain adjustmentwith filter K8 that modify N_(z)-est 604 and produce a novel and preciseHLN-N_(z) 220 output from complementary filter 606 and HLN-N_(z)predictor 216. In other words, HLN-N_(z) 220 represents a uniqueadvanced load alleviation N_(z) value scaled for an actual weight of theaircraft through application of filter K8. Complementary filter 606sends HLN-N_(z) 220 to GCLAW 502 in LA 222. Complementary filter 606 mayrepresent a selection from any number of complementary filters, whichmay include without limitation, a first-order complementary filterand/or a second-order complementary filter (not shown).

Turning now to FIG. 7, FIG. 7 illustrates another technical benefit thatmay be provided from a precise HLN-N_(z) 220 value from HLN-N_(z)predictor 216. As will be further discussed below for FIG. 8, HLNestimator 602 algorithms may be applied to an input for a desiredmaneuver for aerospace vehicle 100 in a similar manner to an input fromvertical gust estimate 512.

Thus, FIG. 7 is a chart showing a trend for an aerospace vehiclemaneuver relative to a bending moment envelope for a part of anaerospace vehicle in accordance with an illustrative example. Morespecifically, chart 700 shows an example bending moment envelope 702 foran aerospace vehicle, such as without limitation aerospace vehicle 100of FIG. 1. The left-side vertical axis provides relative values for abending moment about an axis on a part 508. Without limitation, thebending moment illustrated may be about wing root 304 of wing 302 ofaerospace vehicle 100. The units are marked by a non-limiting relativevalue that may be a multiple of some value of foot-pounds relative to aweight of aerospace vehicle 100. The horizontal axis provides relativevalues for velocity for aerospace vehicle 100. A third axis that extendsorthogonally to both the vertical and horizontal axis provides relativepassage of time as aerospace vehicle 100 performs a maneuver byaerospace vehicle 100 traced on chart 700.

Bending moment envelope 702 is defined by the confines of a positive(bending moment) load limit, a negative (bending moment) load limit, amaximum operating velocity, V_(MO), and a null point of no velocity andno loading or bending moment. Within chart 700, plot 704 represents amaneuver for aerospace vehicle 100 from a state of aerospace vehicle 100indicated by P1 at time T1 to a state indicated by P2 at T2. Plot 706indicates a possible un-alleviated continuation of the trend of the plot704 maneuver by aerospace vehicle 100 above the positive load limit upto point PU until a future time T4. In other words, plot 706 indicates apredicted bending moment about an axis for a part of aerospace vehicle100. HLN NZ predictor 216 provides the technical advantage of thepredicted bending moment indicated by 706 being a precise predictionbased upon using a precise value provided by HLN-N_(z) 220.

As shown in the example of FIG. 7, plot 706 is seen to exceed thepositive load limit of aerospace vehicle 100. Exceeding the positiveload limit of aerospace vehicle 100 is a non-limiting example ofundesired state 218 (described for FIG. 2) for aerospace vehicle 100.Hence, what is needed is an accurate prediction for a bending momentcaused by an N_(z) load at time T3 when aerospace vehicle 100 plot 704will reach the positive load limit indicated by PL, and an alleviationcommand 504 just prior to T3 in time and of a magnitude to change themaneuver of aerospace vehicle 100 to proceed along a plot that remainswithin bending moment envelope 702 such as without limitation plot 708that reaches point PA without exceeding the positive load limit.

Thus, regardless of consideration of any wind gust 228, a technicalbenefit may be realized by a machine like HLN N_(z) predictor 216, whichprovides the technical benefit of a precise prediction for a value ofN_(z) at a time in the future, that provides for precise anticipationand thus control of bending moments on part 508 such as withoutlimitation wing root 304. Hence, in a non-limiting example, if input 206is received by FCS 204 to maneuver aerospace vehicle 100 to increaselift produced by wings 140, it may be desired to increase a value oflift toward a maximum limit with a minimum increase in bending moment atwing root 304, or toward an increase in a bending moment that remainsbelow some desired level. The desired level may be the positive loadlimit shown in FIG. 7.

When, in a non-limiting example, a rolling pull-up maneuver may bedesired for aerospace vehicle 100 that requires a greater increase inlift on one of wings 140 than on the other. at least because sensor 212may represent a number of sensors located at different locations anddistances along wingspan of wing 302, or sensors configured to derive anN_(z) value at various locations along wing 302, HLN N_(z) predictor 216may be configured to predict precise values for a future N_(z) 506value, represented as HLN N_(z) 220. The accuracy of the predictionrepresented by HLN N_(z) 220 allows LA 222 to issue alleviation command504 to produce a desired bending moment about wing root 304. HLNestimator 602 as detailed in FIG. 6 may receive and process an input fora desired maneuver for aerospace vehicle 100 in a similar manner as isshown for input of vertical gust estimate 512 in FIG. 6.

Thus, looking now to FIG. 8, FIG. 8 is an illustration of aHo-Ly-Niemiec (HLN) N_(z) predictor added as an adaptor to an existingload alleviation sub-system to generate an accurate value of a predictednormal acceleration to be used by control laws of a load alleviationsub-system in accordance with an illustrative example. In other words,Ho-Ly-Niemiec (HLN) N_(z) predictor 216 may be incorporated into, oradded onto as an adaptor for, a load alleviation sub-system in a newlydesigned aerospace vehicle. Further, HLN N_(z) predictor 216 may beadded as an adaptor onto an existing load alleviation sub-system 222 inan existing aerospace vehicle or design therefore.

FIG. 8 expands upon the architecture of HLN N_(z) predictor 216described in FIG. 6 to be responsive to the issues and needs representedby FIG. 7. In other words, FIG. 8 describes further architecture andcapabilities of HLN N_(z) predictor 216 to provide a technical solutionto current load alleviation system limited capabilities in predictingand alleviating loads and resultant bending moments on parts ofaerospace vehicle 100 due to maneuvering by aerospace vehicle 100.

More specifically, FIG. 8 indicates that input 206 may represent adesired maneuver for aerospace vehicle 100. Input 206 is received notonly by CAS 202, but also by HLN estimator 602. HLN estimator 602includes a specially programmed algorithm similar to the speciallyprogrammed algorithm described above for FIG. 6. The speciallyprogrammed algorithm similar to the one described above for FIG. 6,differs by instead of processing vertical gust estimate 512 as an input,receiving and processing in place of vertical gust estimate 512, input206. The specially programmed algorithm may run parallel to andsimultaneously with specially programmed algorithm described above forFIG. 6. In other words, HLN estimator 602 is configured to receiveindependently or simultaneously sensor 212 outputs (direct andprocessed) and in a novel technological improvement, break out thecomponents and influences from exogenous influences such as withoutlimitation, a wind gust, and from inputs for aircraft maneuvering forderivations of both HLN-N_(z) 220 and HLN-N_(z)-man 806 as furtherdescribed below.

As described above, input 206 may be a signal that represents a desiredmaneuver for aerospace vehicle 100. Input 206 may be first received byCAS 202. CAS 202 may process input 206. CAS 202 processing input 206 mayinclude applying control law algorithms to input 206. One of theparallel algorithms in HLN estimator 602 processes input 206 receivedfrom CAS 202 to produce, in a similar manner as HLN-N_(z)-est 604 isproduced from vertical gust estimate 512 as shown above in FIG. 6,N_(z)-est-man 802. N_(z)-est-man 802 represents an estimate for a valueof N_(z) 506 at a location on part 508 of aerospace vehicle 100 at atime in the future due to input 206.

N_(z)-est-man 802 is fed to maneuver complementary filter 804. In amanner similar to complementary filter 606 producing HLN-N_(z) 220 asshown in FIG. 6, maneuver complementary filter 804 produces and outputsHLN-N_(z)-man 806. Similar to HLN-N_(z) 220 that feeds GCLAW 502 withHLN-N_(z) 220 based upon vertical gust estimate 512, maneuvercomplementary filter 804 derives HLN-N_(z)-man 806 based upon input 206processed through CAS 202 and sends HLN-N_(z)-man 806 to maneuvercontrol laws (MCLAW) 808 section of LA 222. MCLAW 808 generates maneuveralleviation command 810.

Hence, HLN-N_(z) Predictor 216 functions as an adaptor that attaches toand provides a technological improvement to LA 222. Without HLN N_(z)predictor 216, LA 222 suffers a technical problem of receiving onlyN_(z)-sensed 510 without discrete and precise values of HLN-N_(z) 220and HLN-N_(z)-man 806. N_(z)-sensed 510 may suffer a technical problemof having instrument errors, lags, instability, or being unable topredict a future state of N_(z) 506. Therefore, without HLN N_(z)predictor 216, LA 222 suffers the technical problem of ineffectivelyresponding to, or actually generating detrimental influence 214 onaerospace vehicle 100. Without HLN N_(z) predictor 216, LA 222 suffersthe technical problem of contributing to or causing a dynamicinstability for aerospace vehicle 100. Without HLN N_(z) predictor 216,LA 222 suffers the technical problem of contributing to or causingand/or undesired load and/or bending on part 508 of aerospace vehicle100.

Maneuver alleviation command 810 and alleviation command 504 are eachsent to mixer 812 that combines them with a timing and magnitude thatare combined with CAS 202 output to direct control element 208 toproduce a desired value for N_(z) 506.

One of ordinary skill in the art understands that FIG. 8 represents asystem capable of deriving outputs from mixer 812 that may be generatedcontinuously for each location along part 508 for which a value of N_(z)506 is sensed directly or indirectly and/or derived from data providedby sensor 212. Hence, with HLN-N_(z) 220 and HLN-N_(z)-man 806, LA 222may discretely compute an alleviation command 504 maneuver alleviationcommand 810 that manages N_(z) 506 loads for each location along part508 to a level that produces a minimal, or a desired, value of bendingmoment 814 about an axis for part 508. Without limitation bending moment814 may be about wing root 304 for wing 302 of aerospace vehicle 100.

Therefore, HLN N_(z) predictor 216 overcomes technical problems fromundesired loads on, and bending moments, about particular locations onpart 508 of aerospace vehicle 100 due to detrimental influence 214and/or input 206 for a desired maneuver for aerospace vehicle 100. Inother words, HLN N_(z) predictor 216 incorporates specially programmedalgorithms that include rules that provide an innovative technicalsolution that alleviates a load and or bending moment on an aerospacevehicle.

Thus, HLN-N_(z) predictor 216 provides a novel machine that may beincorporated in a new design for an aerospace vehicle or be added as anadaptor that may be connected to an existing LA 222 to provide analgorithm that may provide an innovative technical solution that mayprevent an undesired state for an aerospace vehicle 100 via a novelestimate of an N_(z) load that enables distinct and accurately predictedHLN-N_(z) 220 and HLN-N_(z)-man 806 values with a precision that isunavailable from currently existing load alleviation systems.

Hence, FIGS. 1-8 above describe at least a system, that includes: anillustrative example of a machine that may include: a sensor; a controlelement on the aerospace vehicle configured to change the load on a partof the aerospace vehicle; a predictor that may include a program codethat may include an algorithm that may include rules configured toconvert parameters from a state sensed, upwind from the part on theaerospace vehicle, into an estimated N_(z) load on the part and aprediction, for a future time, of an N_(z) load scaled for a weight ofthe aerospace vehicle. The state sensed upwind from the part may be awind gust affecting the aerospace vehicle. The control element mayinclude without limitation any surface and/or device that may control aload on a part of aerospace vehicle 100, including without limitationone of: an inboard spoiler, an outboard spoiler, an elevator, anaileron, or a combination thereof.

The machine of the illustrative example may also include the predictorconfigured to communicate the prediction of the N_(z) load scaled forthe weight of the aerospace vehicle to a load alleviation processor thatmay include an alleviation program code that may include an alleviationalgorithm that may include rules configured to, based upon theprediction of the N_(z) load scaled for the weight of the aerospacevehicle, generate and issue an alleviation command to the controlelement of the aerospace vehicle that may alleviate the load on thepart. The predictor may also be configured to: decrease, compared to aload alleviation sub-system that includes at least one of a notch filterand a non-linear filter, a time required for generating and executing analleviation command; and eliminate a susceptibility to instability fromthe load alleviation sub-system of the aerospace vehicle.

As used herein, the phrase “at least one of,” when used with a list ofitems, means different combinations of one or more of the listed itemsmay be used and only one of each item in the list may be needed. Inother words, at least one of means any combination of items and numberof items may be used from the list but not all of the items in the listare required. The item may be a particular object, thing, or a category.

For example, without limitation, “at least one of item A, item B, oritem C” may include item A, item A and item B, or item B. This examplealso may include item A, item B, and item C or item B and item C. Ofcourse, any combinations of these items may be present. In otherexamples, “at least one of” may be, for example, without limitation, twoof item A; one of item B; and ten of item C; four of item B and seven ofitem C; or other suitable combinations.

The machine of the illustrative example may also include the predictorconfigured to receive an input for a desired maneuver for the aerospacevehicle and, based upon the input, derive a predicted N_(z) load on apart of aerospace vehicle at a time in the future. The machine may alsoinclude a load alleviation sub-system configured to: based on upon theprediction of the N_(z) load scaled for the weight of the aerospacevehicle, derive a predicted bending moment about a location on theaerospace vehicle; and derive and execute, before a time in the future,an alleviation command that alleviates the predicted bending moment.

In the illustrative examples, the hardware for the processor units maytake the form of a circuit system, an integrated circuit, an applicationspecific integrated circuit (ASIC), a programmable logic device, or someother suitable type of hardware configured to perform a number ofoperations. With a programmable logic device, the device may beconfigured to perform the number of operations. The device may bereconfigured at a later time or may be permanently configured to performthe number of operations. Examples of programmable logic devices thatmay be used for processor units include, for example, a programmablelogic array, a programmable array logic, a field programmable logicarray, a field programmable gate array, and other suitable hardwaredevices. Additionally, the processes may be implemented in organiccomponents integrated with inorganic components and may be comprisedentirely of organic components excluding a human being. For example, theprocesses may be implemented as circuits in organic semiconductors.

The illustrations of FIGS. 1-8 are not meant to imply physical orarchitectural limitations to the manner in which an illustrative examplemay be implemented. Other components in addition to or in place of theones illustrated may be used. Some components may be unnecessary. Also,the blocks are presented to illustrate some functional components. Oneor more of these blocks may be combined, divided, or combined anddivided into different blocks when implemented in an illustrativeexample.

With reference now to FIG. 9, an illustration of a flowchart of aprocess for alleviating a load on a part of an aerospace vehicle isdepicted in accordance with an illustrative example. More specifically,process 900 includes operations to: alleviate a load on a part of anaerospace vehicle (operation 902); and predict, using a state upwindfrom the part on the aerospace vehicle, a predicted state of and apredicted load on the part at a time in the future (operation 904). Thestate upwind from the part on the aerospace vehicle may include at leastone of: an exogenous environmental influence affecting the aerospacevehicle, or a parameter sensed by a sensor located upwind from the parton the aerospace vehicle. The predicted state and the predicted load maybe based upon a wind gust sensed upwind from the part. An estimate of agust experienced upwind from the part may be used for predicting a valuefor an N_(z) load on a wing of the aerospace vehicle when the gustreaches the wing.

One of ordinary skill in the art understands that some amount of time isrequired for an influence upwind of a part on an aerospace vehicle toreach the part on the aerospace vehicle. For a given flight controlsystem on a particular aerospace vehicle, a minimum amount of timeexists for the flight control to receive a sensed input, process acommand, and issue and then execute the command. One of ordinary skillin the art understands that improvements that reduce that minimum amountof time may provide the benefit of more refined and effective commandsto the flight control system.

Process 900 may also include operations that: preempt the part fromexperiencing the predicted load due to the predicted state via derivingan alleviation command for a control element of the aerospace vehicle(operation 906); alleviate the part from experiencing the predicted loadvia actuating the alleviation command at the control element just priorto the part experiencing the predicted state (operation 908); eliminatea susceptibility to instability in a load alleviation sub-system of theaerospace vehicle via decreasing, compared to a load alleviation systemcomprising at least one of a notch filter and a non-linear filter, atime period required for generating and executing the alleviationcommand (operation 910); and derive a predicted bending moment, at afuture time, about a location on the aerospace vehicle via an N_(z)predictor using the predicted load on the part (operation 912).Predicting a value for an N_(z) load on a wing of the aerospace vehicleby an N_(z) predictor may include receiving an input that may include adesired maneuver for the aerospace vehicle.

Process 900 may also include the N_(z) predictor using the input fordetermining the predicted load for the part, and deriving, using thepredicted load on the part, a predicted bending moment, at a futuretime, about a location on the aerospace vehicle. Additionally, process900 may include an operation to derive and execute an alleviationcommand for alleviating the predicted bending moment (operation 914).One of ordinary skill in the art recognizes that although FIG. 9describes the process for a part of an aerospace vehicle, that theprocess may be adapted to apply to a part not of an aerospace vehiclebut present in a fluid flow, such as without limitation some other typevehicle.

With reference now to FIG. 10, FIG. 10 is an illustration of a flowchartof a process for alleviating a load on a part of an aerospace vehicle inaccordance with an illustrative example. More specifically, process 1000may include innovative technical solutions including operations that:derive and alleviate a predicted NZ load at a location on a wing of anaerospace vehicle (operation 1002); and sense an input affecting a firstpart of the aerospace vehicle at a time prior to the input affecting thewing (operation 1004). The input may be a wind gust impacting theaerospace vehicle. The input may be a desired maneuver for the aerospacevehicle.

Process 1000 may also include operations that: derive, in an N_(z)predictor using the input, an NZ load estimate and the predicted N_(z)load at the location at a time in the future (operation 1006); preemptthe predicted N_(z) load at the location at the time in the future viaderiving an alleviation command for a load alleviation sub-system(operation 1008); send the alleviation command to a control element ofthe aerospace vehicle (operation 1010); eliminate a susceptibility toinstability in the load alleviation sub-system of the aerospace vehiclevia decreasing, compared to a load alleviation sub-system comprising atleast one of a notch filter and a non-linear filter, a time required forgenerating and executing the alleviation command (operation 1012);derive, using the predicted N_(z) load, a predicted bending moment abouta root of the wing (operation 1014); and derive and execute, before thetime in the future, the alleviation command for alleviating thepredicted bending moment (operation 1016).

One of ordinary skill in the art recognizes that although FIG. 10describes the process for a wing of an aerospace vehicle, that theprocess may be adapted to apply to a part not of an aerospace vehiclebut present in a fluid flow, such as without limitation a panel on someother type vehicle.

The flowcharts and block diagrams in the different depicted examplesillustrate the architecture, functionality, and operation of somepossible implementations of apparatuses and methods in an illustrativeexample. In this regard, each block in the flowcharts or block diagramsmay represent at least one of a module, a segment, a function, or aportion of an operation or step. For example, one or more of the blocksmay be implemented as program code, in hardware, or a combination of theprogram code and hardware. When implemented in hardware, the hardwaremay, for example, take the form of integrated circuits that aremanufactured or configured to perform one or more operations in theflowcharts or block diagrams. When implemented as a combination ofprogram code and hardware, the implementation may take the form offirmware.

In some alternative implementations of an illustrative example, thefunction or functions noted in the blocks may occur out of the ordernoted in the figures. For example, in some cases, two blocks shown insuccession may be executed substantially concurrently, or the blocks maysometimes be performed in the reverse order, depending upon thefunctionality involved. Also, other blocks may be added in addition tothe illustrated blocks in a flowchart or block diagram.

Further, the illustrative examples of the disclosure may be described inthe context of aerospace vehicle manufacturing and service method 1100as shown in FIG. 11 and aerospace vehicle 1200 as shown in FIG. 12.Aerospace vehicle 1200 is representative of aerospace vehicle 100 ofFIG. 1. Without limitation, aerospace vehicle 1200 may be an aircraft.Without limitation, aerospace vehicle 1200 may be a transport aircraft.

Turning first to FIG. 11, an illustration of a block diagram of anaerospace vehicle manufacturing and service method is depicted inaccordance with an illustrative example. During pre-production,aerospace vehicle manufacturing and Service Method 1100 may includespecification and design 1102 of aerospace vehicle 1200 in FIG. 12 andmaterial procurement 1104.

During production, component and subassembly manufacturing 1106 andsystem integration 1108 of aerospace vehicle 1200 in FIG. 12 takesplace. Thereafter, aerospace vehicle 1200 in FIG. 12 may go throughcertification and delivery 1110 in order to be placed in service 1112.While in service 1112 by a customer, aerospace vehicle 1200 in FIG. 12is scheduled for routine maintenance and service 1114, which may includemodification, reconfiguration, refurbishment, and other maintenance orservice.

Each of the processes of aerospace vehicle manufacturing and ServiceMethod 1100 may be performed or carried out by a system integrator, athird party, an operator, or some combination thereof. In theseexamples, the operator may be a customer. For the purposes of thisdescription, a system integrator may include, without limitation, anynumber of aerospace vehicle manufacturers and major-systemsubcontractors; a third party may include, without limitation, anynumber of vendors, subcontractors, and suppliers; and an operator may bean airline, a leasing company, a military entity, a serviceorganization, and so on.

With reference now to FIG. 12, an illustration of a block diagram of anaerospace vehicle is depicted in which an illustrative example may beimplemented. In this example, aerospace vehicle 1200 is produced byaerospace vehicle manufacturing and Service Method 1100 in FIG. 12 andmay include airframe 1202 with plurality of systems 1204 and interior1206. Non-limiting examples of systems 1204 include one or more ofpropulsion system 1208, electrical system 1210, hydraulic system 1212,environmental system 1214, flight control system 204, and loadalleviation sub-system 222. Load alleviation sub-system 222 may includea processor within flight control system 204. Any number of othersystems and/or sub-systems may be included.

Although an aerospace example is shown, different illustrative examplesmay be applied to other industries involved with structures thatexperience a fluid flow and/or surface loading, such as withoutlimitation the automotive and/or the marine industry, as well as fixedstructures experiencing fluid flows, such as without limitation a bridgepiling or an office building. Hence, the illustrative examples hereinrepresent a machine and process that provides a technical improvement inalleviation of a load on a part in a fluid flow. In other words, withoutlimitation, part 508 could be a part of an automobile, or a wall of astructure. Accordingly, without limitation the part in operation 902 ofFIG. 9 may equally apply to a part other than of an aerospace vehicle.

The apparatuses and methods embodied herein may be employed during atleast one of the stages of aerospace vehicle manufacturing and servicemethod 1100 in FIG. 11. One or more apparatus examples, method examples,or a combination thereof may be utilized during production stages, suchas component and subassembly manufacturing 1106 and system integration1108 in FIG. 11. One or more apparatus examples, method examples, or acombination thereof may be utilized while aerospace vehicle 1200 is inservice 1212, during maintenance and service 1114 in FIG. 12, or both.The use of a number of the different illustrative examples maysubstantially expedite the assembly of aerospace vehicle 1200, reducethe cost of aerospace vehicle 1200, or both expedite the assembly ofaerospace vehicle 1200 and reduce the cost of aerospace vehicle 1200.

Thus, the illustrative examples show a process and machine that bBypreempting effects from detrimental influences, the aerospace vehiclebecomes less susceptible to other problems like overstresses. Thetechnical benefits provided by illustrative examples herein reduce anoperator's workload at least because the operator does not need toanticipate, predict, and/or respond to an unexpected dynamic response ofthe aerospace vehicle.

At least because the HLN N_(z) predictor provides a precise predictionfor normal loads on a part of an aerospace vehicle, it can preempt andprevent or minimize an undesired state for the aerospace vehicle, suchas without limitation an undesired wing load or wing bending moment.Thus, the illustrative examples described herein provide technicalbenefits that allow for a reduction in a required strength and/or weightof materials used to form a part for the aerospace vehicle. One ofordinary skill in the art understands that the technical benefits of theillustrative examples described herein provide further technicalbenefits of improved fuel efficiency and/or other operating performancefor aerospace vehicle, as well as reduced time and cost for materialsand manufacturing of the part.

Thus, the illustrative examples provide a method and apparatus formanaging alleviation commands to control elements on an aerospacevehicle. Without limitation, one or more illustrative examples mayprovide an adaptor that may be connected to, incorporated with, and/orcommunicate with a load alleviation sub-system in communication withand/or a part of a control augmentation system. Without limitation, oneor more illustrative examples may use a digital control augmentationsystem. Without limitation, one or more illustrative examples may use adigital fly-by-wire systems for the aerospace vehicle.

The description of the different illustrative examples has beenpresented for purposes of illustration and description, and is notintended to be exhaustive or limited to the examples in the formdisclosed. Many modifications and variations will be apparent to thoseof ordinary skill in the art. Further, different illustrative examplesmay provide different features as compared to other desirable examples.The example or examples selected are chosen and described in order tobest explain the principles of the examples, the practical application,and to enable others of ordinary skill in the art to understand thedisclosure for various examples with various modifications as are suitedto the particular use contemplated.

What is claimed is:
 1. A process, the process comprising: predicting,using a state upwind from a part on a vehicle, a predicted state of anda predicted load on the part at a time in the future; deriving analleviation command for a control element of the vehicle for preemptingthe part from experiencing the predicted load due to the predictedstate; and actuating the alleviation command at the control element justprior to the part experiencing the predicted state, thereby alleviatingthe part from experiencing the predicted load.
 2. The process of claim1, wherein the vehicle is an aerospace vehicle.
 3. The process of claim1, wherein the state upwind comprises at least one of: an exogenousenvironmental influence affecting the aerospace vehicle, or a parametersensed by a sensor located upwind from the part on the vehicle.
 4. Theprocess of claim 1, further comprising deriving the predicted state andthe predicted load based upon a wind gust sensed upwind from the part.5. The process of claim 1, further comprising using an estimate of awind gust experienced upwind from the part for predicting a value for anN_(z) load on a wing of the vehicle when the wind gust reaches the wing.6. The process of claim 1, further comprising: decreasing, compared to aload alleviation system comprising at least one of a notch filter and anon-linear filter, a time period required for generating and executingthe alleviation command; and eliminating a susceptibility to instabilityin a load alleviation sub-system of the vehicle.
 7. The process of claim1, further comprising performing the predicting by an N_(z) predictorreceiving an input comprising a desired maneuver for the vehicle.
 8. Theprocess of claim 7, further comprising the N_(z) predictor using theinput for determining the predicted load for the part, and deriving,using the predicted load on the part, a predicted bending moment, at afuture time, about a location on the vehicle.
 9. The process of claim 8,further comprising deriving and executing the alleviation command foralleviating the predicted bending moment.
 10. A process, the processcomprising: sensing an input affecting a first part of an aerospacevehicle at a time prior to the input affecting a wing of the aerospacevehicle; deriving, in an N_(z) predictor using the input, an N_(z) loadestimate and a predicted N_(z) load at a location on the wing at a timein the future; preempting the predicted N_(z) load at the location atthe time in the future via deriving an alleviation command for a loadalleviation sub-system; and sending the alleviation command to a controlelement of the aerospace vehicle.
 11. The process of claim 10, furthercomprising the N_(z) predictor: decreasing, compared to a loadalleviation sub-system comprising at least one of a notch filter and anon-linear filter, a time required for generating and executing thealleviation command; and eliminating a susceptibility to instability inthe load alleviation sub-system of the aerospace vehicle.
 12. Theprocess of claim 10, further comprising the input being a wind gustimpacting the aerospace vehicle.
 13. The process of claim 10, furthercomprising the input being a desired maneuver for the aerospace vehicle.14. The process of claim 10, further comprising: deriving, using thepredicted N_(z) load, a predicted bending moment about a root of thewing; and deriving and executing, before the time in the future, thealleviation command for alleviating the predicted bending moment.
 15. Amachine configured to alleviate a load on an aerospace vehicle, themachine comprising: a sensor; a control element on the aerospace vehicleconfigured to change the load on a part of the aerospace vehicle; and apredictor that comprises a program code that comprises an algorithm thatcomprises rules configured to convert parameters from a state sensedupwind from the part on the aerospace vehicle into an estimated N_(z)load on the part and a prediction, for a time in the future, of an N_(z)load scaled for a weight of the aerospace vehicle.
 16. The machine ofclaim 15, further comprising the predictor configured to communicate theprediction of the N_(z) load scaled for the weight of the aerospacevehicle to a load alleviation processor that comprises an alleviationprogram code that comprises an alleviation algorithm that comprisesrules configured to, based upon the prediction of the N_(z) load scaledfor the weight of the aerospace vehicle, generate and issue analleviation command to the control element of the aerospace vehicle thatalleviates the load on the part.
 17. The machine of claim 15, furthercomprising the state sensed upwind from the part being a wind gustaffecting the aerospace vehicle.
 18. The machine of claim 15, furthercomprising the control element comprising one of: an inboard spoiler, anoutboard spoiler, an elevator, an aileron, or a combination thereof. 19.The machine of claim 15, further comprising the predictor configured to:decrease, compared to a load alleviation sub-system that comprises atleast one of a notch filter and a non-linear filter, a time required forgenerating and executing an alleviation command; and eliminate asusceptibility to instability from the load alleviation sub-system ofthe aerospace vehicle.
 20. The machine of claim 15, further comprisingthe predictor configured to receive an input for a desired maneuver forthe aerospace vehicle and, based upon the input, derive a predictedN_(z) load on the part of the aerospace vehicle at the time in thefuture.
 21. The machine of claim 15, further comprising a loadalleviation sub-system configured to: based on upon the prediction ofthe N_(z) load scaled for the weight of the aerospace vehicle, derive apredicted bending moment about a location on the aerospace vehicle; andderive and execute, before the time in the future, an alleviationcommand that alleviates the predicted bending moment.